Filing appliance.



E. T. SILVIUS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. m2.

1,136,177. Patented Apr. 20, 1915 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 all lV/TNESSZZS- INVENTOR- 4! Qigmdm E. T. SiLVlUS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED H8. 21. 1912.

1,136,177. 7 Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

WITNESSES: I m VEN TOR;

vE. T. SILVIUS.

FILING APPLIANCE.

APPLICATIONIHLED FEB. 21. 1912,

QiII/Illi/II.

11VVE/VTOR:

Patented Apr. 20,1915,

3 SHEETS-$112M a UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE.

ELL-15 T. SILIIUS, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR, B} MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE MCCASKEY REGISTER COMPANY, (INCORPORATED IN 1914,) OF ALLIANCE,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO. I

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1915.

Original ap lication filed May 4. 1909. Serial No. 493,922. Divided and this application filed February 27,

' 1912. SerialNo. 680,145.

To a l 1 am it may concern: lie it known that I. ELLIS T. SiLvios', a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and usel'ul Filing Appliance, of which the following a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and t0 the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to apparatus for filing papers of various kinds, the apparatus being variously known as credit accounting registers, filing appliances, or credit cabinets. and by various other names.

The invention has reference more particula rly to appliances for systematically filing bill-slips used in credit account systems, or other papers, a filing appliance of the abovementioned character showing the present in,- vention having been described in my pending application for Letters Patent filed May 4, 1909, Serial Number l93,'922,'0f which "this is a divisional application for Letters Patent.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved means for removably supporting and retaining a group of holders or leaves in a casing or frame, so as to constitute a filing cabinet, and for supporting the group of leaves in .upright position and in a rectangular pack when removed from'the casing or frame.

' A further object is to-provide holders,

5 leaves or frames with an improved base or retaining plate that shall .be so constructed and permanently connected to the leaves as to be capable'not only of retaining the leaves in the casing or frame, but to substantially support the leaves when removed from the casing or frame and permit the group of leaves to, slide freely into or out of a fire proof safe or vault wherethe leaves may be kept to guard the contents when the filing appliance is not in use. 1

s s-still further object of the invention is to provide an improved casing or frame adapted to removably hold the base or retaining plate therein.

With the above-mentionedand other objet-ts in view. the invention comprises novel features of construction in the (using or frame cm'istitliting a part Of the filing case net and a series of leaves or frames hinged together and provided with devices for retaining papers thereon,-on'e of the leaves or frames having a base orretaining plate hinged thereto, and means for locking the base or retaining plate to the casing.

The invention parts, and combinations and arrangements ofparts, as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in. the appended claims.

consists further in the novel 66 Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a casing or frame and a series of leaves or frames mounted therein, as at the left hand side of the leaves, the latter being in prone position, the lower portion ofthe away; Fig. 2, a rear perspective view of the leaf follower constituting a device for maintaining the upright leaves in substantially casing being broken 70 upright position; F ig.-3, a fragmentary-side the-casing and supported uprightl on the base or retaining plate; Fig. {1, a ragmentary vertical central section of the filing cabinet with the leaves in normal osition, and

' elevation of a group of leaves removed from supported and held in the casing or frame '80 by means of the base or retaining plate; Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective view of two leaves connected together by a, butt or hinge of common construction which is preferably employed, for connectingthe leaves together III a group so as to swing pivotally each relatively to the others; Fig. 6, a frag'mentary central sectional view of the casing or frame looking in the direction opposite to Fig. 4; Fig. 7, a perspective view of one of the guides for the follower; Fig. 8, a fragmentary perspective View of the series of leaves and the base oi retaining plate removed from the casing or frame; Fig. 9, a

fragmentary perspective view of the casing or frame as preferably constructed for secur- .ing the base or retainin plate therein; and Fig. 10, a fragmentary etail of parts of the appliancefor locking the-leaves to the sup! porting base or plate.

In the different figures of the drawings similar reference characters indicate like pa ts or features of construction herein referred to.

The casing or frame for the series of leaves may he variously constructed, As

shown, it comprises a desk part consisting of a bottom 1, sides 2 and 3 secured to the bottom, the rear portion of the desk part having an upright casing suitably erected thereon and preferably wmprising two sides 4 and 5 continuing upward from the sides 2 and 3. respectively, and a back (3 joined to the sides and extending-down to the bottom 1 to form the back of the desk part, a rail 7 being suitably secured at a suitable distance above the bottom 1 and extending between the sides 2 and 3 at the lower. forward portions of the upright sides 4 and 5, and a floor or shelf 8 being suit-ably supported and extending from the rail 7 rearward to the back 6. The rearward portion of the upper side of the rail is preferably recessed to receive the floor or shelf and leave a rearwardlv facing shoulder 9 extending above the plane ofthe top of the floor or shelf. Preferablvthe shelf has a forwardly facing shoulder 10 on the rearward upper portion thereof. A door 11 may be connected by hinges 12 to the forward side of the rail 7. The door normally lies on the sides 2 and 3 to form a top for the desk part and may be moved to an upright position against the fronts of the sides 4 and 5 to inclose the leaves when desired. The desk part, however, may bevariouslyconstrut-ted, various details thereof being unre-,

lated to the present improvement. The casin may also be provided with a coveror ii 13 which, when provided, is connected by hinges 14 to the back 6, the under side of the cover being provided with a suitable catch 15 adapted to engage a projection 16 on the inner side of the side 5 of the casing 'toghold. the cover in closed position, a suitable lock 17 being provided for locking the door 11 to the cover 13. The cover is provided with a suitable prop 18 that is adapted to engage a supporting device 19 secured to the side 5 for holding up the cover when the filing appliance is in use, as in Fig. 1.

A suitable baseor retaining plate 20 is provided for supporting and holding the leaves in the casing or frame and isremovably mounted upon the floor or shelf 8 between the shoulders 9 and 10 which serve as guides and may be secured against movement by various means, preferably by fingers or bars 21, 21', mounted on the rearward portion of the floor or shelf 8 and extending forwardly beyond the shoulder 10 and over the rearward end of the base or retaining plate 20'when the latter is in position in the casing or frame. Preferably the base or late 20 is further held on the floor or s elf by means of a suitable button or fastenin catch 22 connected to the shelf 8 or rail 7 by means of a pivot 23 and movable into contact with or on top of the base or retaining plate at its forward edge. It should be understood that the shoulders 9 and 10 constitute spaced bars between which the base or plate 20 is retained in fixed relation to the casing or frame and prevented from shifting either forwardly or .rearuardly, it being evident that the shoulders or their equivalent may be variously formed otherwise than as described. A pair. of pivoting stands or cars 2-1 and 25 are formed Eor secured on the top of the forward portion of the base or retaining plate 20 for pivotally supporting the foremost one of the. series of leaves. thcic being a suitable number of leaves or frames, 2f; indicating the fore most one, 27 the intermediate leaves, and 23 the rearmost one of the leaves. each one of the series of leaves having a hinged bar or base bar 29 which the bottom portion of the leaf or frame when in its normal up right position. The lower forward edge portion of the foremost leaf 2G is connected by means of pivots or hinge-pins 30 and 31 tothe pivoting stands or cars 21 and 25, these pivots or hinge-pins being connected directly with the hinge-bar of the leaf. The series of leaves or frames are suitably connected together preferably by means of butts or hinges 32, 32, each of which as is well known compriseshingeplatcs and a hinge-pin 33 connecting the two plates together, and in adapting the butts for the purpose they are secured to the under sides I of the hinge-bars 29, preferably by means of screws in a well known manner so as to be readily detached if desired, and so that additional leaves may be conveniently connected with the series if found desirable. It will be understood that the hinge-pins 33 are arranged on the planes .of the adjacent meeting sides of the leaves or frames. All the frames or leaves, as will be seen, are pivotally supported by means of the pivots or hinge-pins 30 and 31, and when in upright position may be supported squarely upon the base or retaining plate 20, the rear portion of the latter preferably having cushions or buffers 34, 34, thereon directly supporting the roarmo st one of the leaves and not permitting the hinges to noisily come. in contact with the base, the latter preferably beingcomposed of metal. It will therefore be seen that the foremost one and the rearmost one of. the leaves may be supported substantially by the base and they in turn support the inte ediate leaves by means of their hinges. The b so or retaining plate is prefer ably of a widt equal to the depth of the group of leaves when in upright posi tion.

For the purpose of securely holding the base or retaining plate 20 to the leaves when all are removed from the casing or frame for convenient handling. a locking-bar 35 is provided thathas a journal 30 extending laterally on one end thereof which is mounted rotatively in a suitable journal-box3 7that is mounted on the base 20, the locking-bar having a linger 3S thereon which is adapted to engage a lawh plate 39 secured on the under side of the hinge-bar 29 of the rearmost leaf or frame, the locking-bar 35 lying on the base 2) when not in use, and when swung upward pivotally it engages the rear side of therearmost leaf to prevent rearward movement of the leaf relativel to the base or the adjacent leaf, while the 'nger 38 prevents the base from moving away from the leaves, so that when removed from the casing the series of leaves will stand upright as a rectangular pack asshown in Fig. 3, in which condition the pack. may be readily handled and insert/ed into a receptacle for safe keeping. The leaves or frames, as will be understood, are provided with suitable spring clamps 40 or other devices for holding papers on the fronts and backs of the leaves.

In order to guide the. rearmost leaf in its up and down movements and prevent it from swinging rearward, 'the rearmost leaf stands against a device which is preferably movable therewith, and in order to support the device or'follower two grooved guidebars 41 and 42 are secured to the inner sides of the casing sides -t and 5, respectively, and

preferably extend approximately from the ark 6 upward toward the forward edges of the sides of the casing. The follower preferably Comprises a carriage having two sides 43 and 44 and a cross-bar 45 connected to the two sides, the sides having vertical guide grooves 46 and 4-7 in the inner sides thereof respectively. The carriage is provided with rollers 48'and 48 to operate in the guide-bar 41 and other rollers 49 and 45) to operate in the guide-bar 42, and the sides of the carriage have arms 50 and 50 thereon respectively that extend upward and are provided at their upper ends with rollers 51 and 51', respectively, against which the rear-most leaf has contact, The side edges of the rearmost leaf 28 has projecting pins that extend into the guide grooves that a re formed vertically in the carriage, so that vertical movement may occur as between the rearmost leaf and the carriage of the follower during irregular or variable movement of the rem-most leaf as it describes arcs of circles either about the axis'of the pivots of the foremost leaf or the pivots of the other leaves, the rearmost leaf therefore controlling the movement of the follower.

\Vhen it is desired. to assist the operator in moving the leaves to upright position, a coil-spring .33 is connected to the-cross'bar 45 or otherwise to the carriage, and is connected also to a pro ection 5-1 on the side of the rearmost leaf 28, the spring being so strained as to overt its force to draw the rear leaf to an upright posit on and hold it against the arms of the follower, and by means of the hingi ng connections assisting to draw up'the remaining leaves, the spring permitting the leaves to be moud down to prone position.

In practical use, the front of the casing or frame is opened and the operator selects one of the leaves or frames to which he desires to gain access and draws it and also.

.to their upright position on the base or retaining plate 20. When it is desired to remove the leaves from the casing, or frame the button 22, or such securing device as may have been provided, is swung on its pivot to release the base or plate- 20 and the latter is lifted slightly at its forward end and then slightly moved forwardl} so. as to be released from the devices'ill 21, and after disconnecting the rearmost leaf from the follower the leaves and the base or plate 20 are removed together from the casing. and then the leaves are locked gainst pivotal movement in upright position against the base or plate by means ofthe locking devices provided therefor as hereinbel'ore described. r

Other results agd advantages of the improvement in opd ation will be readily un-' derstood from the foregoing description of the construction and function of the various parts thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In afiling appliance of the class described, the combination of a plurality of leaves, connections between the lower ends of, the leaves permitting pivotal movements of the leaves relatively to each other and operating when one or more of the leaves are reclined to move the lower ends of the remaining leaves forwardly, said leaves being arrangcable in a rectangulahpackand I .(tlt'i other and operating when one or more of the leaves a re r clined to move the lower ends of the ll'l'lrrlllll'l" uuri' ht leates for A r, l r

vvardly, a retaining base-plate hinged at one of its ends to the foremost one of the leaves, and means for detachabl v securing the rearmost one of the leaves to the opposite end of said base-plate.

In a filing appliance, a floor or shelf provided with tvvo oppositely arranged guides on the top thereof. a base or retaining plate removablv mounted on the floor or shelf between the guides and positioned thereby, and a plurality of leaves hinged together, one of the leaves being hinged to the base or retaining plate.

4-. In a credit cabinet of the class described. a casing or frame provided with a shelf, a series of leaves provided with base bars. hinge plates secured to said bars and pivotally connected together between the meeting faces of the bars. and a, retaining plate hinged to the base bar of the front leaf and removably secured to the shelf.

5. In a filing appliance. the combination of a series of pi 'itally mounted bill holding leaves. a base relative. to which the leaves are adapted to swing from a substantially vertical to a substantially horizontal position, one of the end leaves of the series having a latch-plate. and a locking bar pivotallv mounted on the base and provided with a latch for engaging with the said latchplate.

6. In a filing appliance. the combination of a series of pivotally mounted bill holding leaves, a base relative to which the leaves are adapted to saving from a substantially vertical to a substantially horizontal position, one of the end leaves of the series having a latch-plate. and a locking bar pivotally mounted on the base on an axis at right angles to the axis of the leaves and provided with a latch for engaging with the said latch-plate. I

7. A case. a base secured removably in the case. a pluralitv of normally upright leaves connected one to another rotatably and the foremost one of the leaves pivot-ally supported on the base and supporting the remaining leaves. the rearmost one of the leaves leaving a latchdate on the under side thereof and a locking bar mounted on the base rotatively to be moved against theback of the rearmost leaf and having a finger there on to engage the latch-plate.

8. A filing appliance including a plurality of leaves. hinges connecting the leaves together. a base or retaining plate hinged at one end to the foremost one of the leaves, and means for detacha bl y securing the rearmost one of the leaves to the opposite end of the base or retaining plate, the said means including a member arranged per 'iendicular to the base when in operative position and serving as a bar]: for the eaves to retain them in a rectangular pack.

5!. In a liling appliance, the combination of a support provided with a shelf, a series of leaves arranged 'to be assembled face to face, pivotal connections between the leaves permitting them to swing relatively to each other, a base or retaining plate to which one f end leaf of the series is pivotally connected, and means for detachably securing said base or retaining plate on the floor, the said means including a member mounted to swing on a vertical axis.

10. In a filing appliance, the combination of a plurality of leaves, connections between the lower ends of the leaves permitting pivotal movements of the leaves relatively to each other and operating when one or more of the leaves are reclined to move the lower ends of the remaining upright leaves forwardly, said leaves being arrangeable in a rectangular pack and portable for storage, a support or shelf for supporting said leaves for normal operation, a retaining member hinged to one end leaf and detachably connected with the other end leaf, and means for detachably securing said retaining member to said support and against movement relative thereta during the normal operation of the appliance.

11. In a filing appliance, the combination of a base or retaining plate, a bar having a journal that is rotatively mounted on one end of the base or plate, the bar being movable to upright position, and a plurality of leaves hinged together, the foremost one of the leaves being hinged to the opposite end of the base or-plate, the leaves being supported uprightly on the base or plate with the rearmost leaf in contact with the upright bar.

12. In a credit cabinet of the class described, a casing or frame provided with a shelf, a, series of leaves, connections between the lower ends of said leaves permitting said leaves to swing relatively to each other and operating to move the lower ends of the remaining upright leaves forwardly as one or more of them are reclined, a retaining member hinged to the lower end of the front leaf and detachahly connected to the lower end of the rear leaf of said series, and means for removably securing said retaining member to the casing or frame during the normal operation of the appliance.

In testimony WhereoffI affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ELLIS T. SILVIUS.

Witnesses HARRY D. PIERsoN, J. H. GARDNER. 

